Apparatus for stacking articles on edge



Aug- 2, 1966 G. MARINOFF 3,263,828

APPARATUS FOR STACKING ARTICLES ON EDGE Filed Nov. 20, 1963 r 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Inven'kor G orge Marinoff Aug. 2, 1966 MARINOFF APPARATUS FOR STACKING ARTICLES ON EDGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 20, 1963 Inverzior George Marl'rzoff 5a, Zlfalfm, M30040 ,fl-ttomeldfi 1966 G. MARINOFF APPARATUS FOR STACKING ARTICLES ON EDGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 20, 1963 Aug. 2, 1966 G.'MARINOFF- APPARATUS FOR STACKING ARTICLES ON EDGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 20, 1963 United States Patent 3 263 328 APPARATUS FOR srAcKiNo ARTICLES 0N EDGE George Marinoff, Mentor Township, Lake County, Ohio, assignor to Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 20, 1963, Ser. No. 325,083 4 Claims. (Cl. 214-7) This invention relates to embossing machines of the kind used to produce individual printing plates of such size as to be conveniently carried on the person for credit transactions at department stores, oil stations and the like, and in particular this invention relates to a mechanism for collecting plates of the aforesaid character discharged in sequential order from the embossing machine with which the mechanism is associated.

Printing plates of the kind used in desk or countersupported imprinting machines are conveniently of such size as to be carried in a wallet or a so-called credit card carrier insert, and are commonly produced in relatively large embossing machines operating at high speed. Typically, the blank stock or plate to be embossed is either of a durable plastic or light-weight metal, and is advanced from a supply magazine to an embossing station in the machine where type characters are formed thereon. After the type characters have been embossed on a particular plate, in most instances, the plate is transferred to a station in the machine where another operation is performed thereon immediately prior to discharging the plate from the machine. In the instance of a metal plate, such other or last operation consists in rolling the plate on the side thereof where the type characters appear in relief form to bring the imprinting faces of the type characters into a common plane thereby to assure even imprinting when the plate is used for the intended purpose. In the instance of a plastic plate, the final operation performed in the embossing machine, prior to discharge, is to face the relief type characters with a distinctive color to facilitate reading the data embossed on the plate.

In any event, after the final operation is performed on a plate of the aforesaid character in an embossing machine, each plate is discharged to a collecting station where the plates are collected in such a fashion as to maintain the order in which the plates are produced, and the primary object of the present invention is to enable the plates to be collected in such a fashion that the operator of the machine can inspect or withdraw expeditiously the last plate produced from the machine.

The plate collecting mechanism of the present invention is disclosed as being related to an embossing machine wherein the printing plates are collected and arranged in a horizontal stack at a portion of the machine adjacent the operators station, such that it becomes a relatively easy proposition for the operator to inspect a plate. Thus, and according to a further object of the invention, plates are collected from a final working station in an embossing machine and transported to a position adjacent the operators station, where the plates are oriented in a manner facilitating inspection of plates by the operator and without need for the operator to remove a number of other plates to gain access to the one to be inspected.

Stacking of the plates vertically one upon another in a collecting magazine may be satisfactory in some instances, but it is possible for a vertical stack to partake of an undesirable bowed or fanned condition due to the weight of the plates pressing downwardly upon one another and the fact that the raised, embossed areas of immediately juxtaposed plates throughout the stack as a whole are not aligned. Accordingly, it is another object of the present invention to collect the plates from ice the final working station and transport them to a receiving or collecing tray wherein each of the plates is disposed to be oriented in a conveniently accessible, on-edge or upright position and supporting only its own weight.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, a rotatable support in the discharge and collection mechanism receives printing plates travelling along a guideway from a final work station; and in timed relationship, the rotatable support rotates the plate to an on-edge position and releases the received plate while in an on-edge position for further movement in this position into a receiving tray disposed in a plane beneath the guideway, and at right angles to the path of movement of the plates along the guideway. Preferably, the receiving tray is located adjacent the operators station so that the last on-edge plate in the receiving tray can be readily removed and inspected by the operator without leaving the operators station.

According to a still more specific object of the invention, the plates are disposed on their fiat planar sides as the plates leave the final working station and enter into the discharge and collection mechanism of the present invention at which a rotatable support receives the empossed plate and rotates with the plate thereon to drop the plate while .in an on-edge position for movement into a collecting tray.

The plate collecting mechanism is adapted to be attached to a plate embossing or printing machine and adjustable to receive plates of varying sizes disposed on their flat sides, and accordingly a further object of the invention is an attachable plate collecting mechanism having the characteristic of being adjustable for various size plates.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principle thereof and what is now considered to be the best mode contemplated for applying this principle. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those Skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view showing the plate collection mechanism according to the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 3, showing the plate collection mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the plate collection mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows showing a plan view of the plate collection mechanism;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view showing the feed mechanism for moving a plate from a plate rolling or tipping station to a plate packer mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the lines 66 of FIG. 5 in the direction of the arrows, showing a guide slot for guiding the printing plates;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the plate feed mechanism for moving a plate to a plate packer mechanism;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7, showing the manner of actuation of a counter switch for counting embossed plates;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the lines 9-9 of FIG. 7 showing guiding rails for guiding plates being fed from the plate rolling or tipping station; and

FIG. is a diagrammatic view of a circuit for controlling operation of an electromagnetic clutch and thereby the operational cycle of the plate collection mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown an embossing machine EM with an enclosing cover on the left side of which is attached a plate collecting mechanism at a discharge station DS. The embossing machine is preferably of the type disclosed in co-pending application Serial No. 301,693, filed July 29, 1963. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 49 of the copending application, the embossing machine is effective to produce characters, data, embossures and the like on plates, cards or kindred devices of metal, plastic or fibrous material, which are discharged into a plate-collecting station PC, FIG. 49 of the co-pending application, the station PC being replaced by the discharge station D3 of the present invention.

As best seen in FIG. 49 of the co-pending application, the plates P leave a final rolling or work station III and enter into a discharge chute DC to be collected at the plate-collecting station PC.

The present invention is directed to collecting the plates leaving a working station such as the rolling or tipping station III of the embossing machine EM while oriented at approximately 30 to the horizontal, as best seen in FIG. 1 for the present disclosure, and moving the plates into the discharge station DS wherein the plates are rotated through approximately 60 to a vertical on-edge position for reciprocal movement into a receiving tray T, FIG. 3, on a tray support 20. More specifically, a printing plate leaving the plate rolling or tipping stations III, FIG. 7, is disposed on its fiat side, and is guided between spaced guide rails 22 leading to an opening 25, FIG. 1, disposed between the upper and lower rails 22 at the discharge station DS.

When the plate P-2 is disposed at the Opening 25, a supporting table ST is at a plate receiving position, shown in phantom lines in FIG. 3, so that the plate P-2 slides thereacross and is supported by the support plate ST as the plate P-2 moves into the discharge station DS. After the plate P-2 is positioned on the supporting table ST, the supporting table ST is rotated in a clockwise direction through approximately 60 to the dotted line position in FIG. 3. The support table ST drops the plate P-2 between spaced guide members 27 and 28, FIG. 3, in the direction of the directional arrow DA so that the plate P-2 is now oriented vertically on edge and slides downwardly to a position before a packer plate 30, FIGS. 1 and 3. As will be described, the packer plate 30 is reciprocated in timed relation to the arrival of a plate in front thereof to reciprocate the plate while on edge into the tray T held by the tray support 20.

The tray T is situated at the operators left hand and the last discharged plate is the plate in the leftmost position of the stack of plates in the tray T, as shown in FIG.

3. Therefore, to inspect the last plate, the operator need not leave the keyboard station to remove a stack of plates to observe the last plate P, but need only lift the leftmost plate from its on-edge position for visual inspection. Since all of the plates are on edge and bear only their own weight, there is avoided the bowed condition that may occur with a vertically oriented stack of plates.

Considering the more detailed description of the invention, the discharge station DS is adapted to be secured to the left side wall and side plate 35 of the embossing machine by three spaced mounting studs 36, FIGS. 2 and 4, on which are mounted hollow hexagonally-shaped spacers 38 and 39 for holding in spaced relation side frame members or plates 40 and 41 of the discharge station DS, it being understood that these side plates 40 and 41 can be spaced apart by dilferent lengths of spacers 38 and 39 to adjustably accommodate different sizes of plates.

As seen in FIG. 1, the guide rails 22 extend from the embossing machine EM across the top of the discharge station DS to the outer side plate 40. The guide plates 22 are secured by screw-type fasteners 44 to the embossing machine and serve to guide the plates moving into the discharge station DS. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 7, a pair of plates labeled plate P-2 and plate P-1 are usually situated on the guide rails 22 between station III of the embossing machine and the discharge station DS in the course of operation of the machine.

A feed mechanism is provided for sequentially bringing the leftwardmost plate P-Z, shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, into the discharge station DS in timed relation to the operation of the final rolling or tipping operation at station III. The feed mechanism for moving the plates from station III to the discharge station DS includes a carriage 1562, FIG. 5, reciprocable by a rotatable arm 1550. Rotation of the arm 1550 from the solid line position of FIG. 5 to the dotted line position of FIG. 5 moves the carriage 1562 to pick up a new plate from station III, as will be explained. When the rotatable arm 1550 returns to the solid line position, the carriage'1562 pushes the leftwardmost plate P-2 into the discharge station DS.

Operation of the arm 1550 and carriage 1562 is fully described in the aforesaid co-pending application, with particular reference to FIGS. 45-49 thereof. To aid in understanding the present invention it is pointed out that plate rolling or tipping at station III is accomplished by moving a carriage 1562 across in a rightward direction, FIG. 5, thereby bringing upper rollers 1563 on the carriage 1562 across the underside of the plate P held on an anvil 1560, so that the rollers 1563 roll the embossures to a uniform height to afford an even printing impression. As explained in the co-pending application, the carriage 1563 also has a stripper pawl or blade 1575 on the carriage 1562, which moves to the right during a rolling operation to bring the nose thereof into stripping engagement with the right band edge of the plate P on the anvil 1560 during return (leftward) movement of the carriage 156-2.

The carriage 1562 has bottom rollers 1564 which roll across the lower plate 1570 as the carriage 1562 is reciprocated. Secured to the carriage 1562 is a leftwardly extending plate 66 which carries a support shaft 67 (FIGS. 7 and 9). A pawl-carrying plate 68,'FIGS. 5 and 7, is secured on the end of support shaft 67 and supports thereon for pivotal rotation a pair of additional feeding or stripping pawls 51 and 52. Each of the pawls 51 and 52 is biased by an individual spring 69, FIG. 9, to thrust a rightward portion thereof upwardly into the slot 69a formed between spaced bottom plates 70a which cooperate with the guide rails 22 to guide the plates being moved by the stripper pawls 51 and 52 leftwardly into the discharge station DS.

As best seen in FIG. 5, the stripping pawls 51 and 52 have sloped camming faces on their rightward faces so as to be cammed downwardly by a rightwardly positioned plate to be disposed beneath this rightward plate against the urging of the individual biasing springs 69, while the carriage 1562 is moving rightward plate against the urging of the individual biasing springs 69, while the carriage 1562 is moving rightwardly as viewed in FIGS. 5 and 7. As explained in the co-pending application, the stripper blade 1575 also is formed with a sloped camming face on its rightward portion so that it is cammed downwardly by the plate at station III, when the carriage 1562 moves rightwardly. The plates P4 and P-2 are prevented from moving upwardly by the inwardly directed flanges 22a, FIGS. 6 and 9, on the guide plates 22 which overhang the edges of the plates P-2 and P-1 moving along the guideway formed by bottom plates 70a and side plate 22. When the stripper pawls 51 and 5 2 have moved past the rightward edge of the plates P-2 and P-1, respectively, the pawls 51 and 50 move upwardly in the slot 69a and bring the leftward faces of the respective pawls into engagement with the rightward edges of the respective plates P-2 and P-l. The leftward faces of the pawls are shaped to apply a stripping force to the plates P-1 and P-2 as the carriage 1562 is returned to the leftward position shown in full lines in FIG. 5. Thus, during leftward movement of the carriage 1562, the plate P2 is moved leftwardly by the pawl 52 into the mouth 25 of the discharge station DS and upon the supporting table ST, which is positioned upwardly to catch the plate P-Z. Concomitantly, the plate P-l is moved by the pawl 51 into the position previously occupied by plate P-2 and plate P is moved by pawl 1575 from the anvil 1560 to the position previously occupied by plate P1.

The supporting table ST receiving the plate P2 has an angularly bent port-ion 62 secured by spaced fasteners 63, FIGS. 3 and 7, to the upper side of a square-shaped rock shaft 64. The leftward end of rock shaft 64 is journaled in the bushing 66 on the left side plate 40, and the opposite end of the rock shaft 64 is journaled in the opposite side plate 41 The supporting table ST is rotated from its plate receiving position, an upper position to receive the plate P-2 from the guideway 22, to a plate releasing position, a downwardly inclined position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3. The supporting table ST is rotated between these positions by a linkage 70, including a first link 71 secured by fasteners 72 to the rock shaft 64, a second link 73, pivotally mounted at one end to the link 71, and pivotally mounted at the other end to a first arm 74 of a bell crank 75. A contractile spring 76 is interconnected between the bell crank 75 and the side plate 40 to urge the linkage 70 to assume the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3 wherein the supporting table is in a released plate position.

The operating linkage 70 for the supporting table ST is rotated to lift the table to a plate receiving position against the bias of spring 76 as hell crank 75 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction due to a .roller or follower 78 on the lower arm of the bell crank 75 following an internal cam groove or slot in a rotatable cam drum or member 80.

The cam member 80 is a drum-shaped member (FIG. 2) secured in an eccentric manner on a shaft 81 which is journaled in an outer bearing 82 in the side wall 40 and in a bearing 83 in the side wall 41.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the lower arm 74a of the bell crank 75, is disposed adjacent the rightward face of the cam member 80 with the leftwardly directed cam follower or roller 78 disposed in a slot or groove in the rightward face of the cam member 80 with the leftwardly directed cam follower or roller 78 disposed in a slot or groove in the rightward face of the cam drum 80. Thus, as the eccentric portion of the cam member 80 rotates to a rightward position in FIG. 3, the cam follower 78 is forced rightwardly and pivots the bell crank 75 in a counterclockwise direction and thereby through linkage 70 rotates the supporting plate ST counterclockwise to a plate receiving position.

The cam member 80 is rotated by the shaft 81 which has its right end portion, FIG. 2, secured to the driven drum 89 of a selective, half-revolution clutch 88 for rotating the cam member 80.

The clutch 88 is an electromagnetically controlled clutch which is operated in timed relation to connect the shaft 81 to a constantly rotating input drive shaft 90, FIG. 2, which is the carriage return and plate discharge driving shaft of .the embossing machine EM. The clutch 88 is similar to the half-revolution clutch disclosed in the aforesaid co-pending application in connection with FIGS. 16-20 thereof.

In general, the clutch 88 comprises an electromagnet 92, which is pulsed to pull up its armature 99 to release a coil spring to grip together an adjacent input drum 91 on the input shaft 90 and the output drum 89 on the output shaft 81. The input shaft 90 drives the output shaft 81 until the armature 99, FIG. 4, causes the coil spring to unwind and release the driven shaft 81 after a half of a revolution of output shaft 81. The driven shaft 81 is prevented from overrunning when disengaged from the driving shaft 90 by a roller 95, FIG. 4, pivotally mounted on a lever 97 moving into one of two equally spaced notches on a notched disc 98 secured to shaft 81. The clutch electromagnet 90 need be only momentarily energized to cause the clutch 88 to couple the shaft 81 to the driving shaft shaft 90 for one half of a revolution, that is, a turning of the shaft 81 and cam member through 180.

The pulsing of the electromagnet 90 of the clutch 88 is controlled by the electrical circuit of FIG. 10. As the arm 1550 is moving the carriage 1562 to the left, as shown in FIG. 5, an internal cam shaft in the embossing machine EM rotates a cam lPR, FIG. 10, to close a pair of normally open contacts 102 to complete an energizing path for electromagnet 92. Energization of electromagnet 92 operates clutch 88 to rotate shaft 81 and cam member 80 to actuate the linkage 70 and thereby pivot the support table ST in a clockwise direction (FIG. 3) to release the plate on the supporting table ST into the mouth 25 between the guide plates 27 and 28, whereupon the plate slides downwardly, guided along its side edges by guide plates 27 and 28, until the lower side edge contacts the front horizontal plate 129.

The plate will remain in an on-edge position since it is disposed between the pusher plate 30 and the tips of a pair of restraining fingers 101 (FIG. 1) that extend through openings 104 in the side plates 40 and 41 into a channel defined between vertical side plates 40 and 41 and horizontal plate 129. The restraining fingers 101 are pivotally mounted and formed with opposed inwardly directed ears 107, FIGS. 3 and 4, which are apertured to receive a vertically extending pivot pin 108 secured in individual brackets 109, FIG. 3, on the respective side plates 40 and 41. As best seen in FIG. 4, the restraining fingers 101 are biased by contractile springs 110 to rotate in a direction to have their tips or ends inserted interiorly of the side plates 40 and 41. Contractile springs 110 are secured between a brace stud 113 and the inward car 107 of the restraining fingers 101 adjacent the pivot pins 108.

When the pusher plate 30 is reciprocated rightwardly, the pusher plate 30 pushes the embossed plate against the fingers 101, which pivot to move their ends out of the channel and thereby permit the plate to move therepast. After the plate passes, the finger tips are rotated by their biasing springs to the position shown in FIG. 4, to receive the next embossed plate.

The packer or pusher plate 30 is a sheet metal plate with a lower and rearwardly extending flange 119 (FIG. 3) resting on the horizontal plate 129. The pusher plate 30 has an upper and rearwardly directed flange 120, which overlies a connecting block 121, FIG. 4, secured to the pusher plate 30 by fasteners 122. The connecting block 121, as seen in FIG. 3, has an internal pin on which is pivotally mounted a connecting rod 116. As best seen in FIG. 3, the connecting rod 116, has diverging side walls 117 extending rearwardly to squared end portion 118 which has a circular bore therein surrounding or embracing the outer surface of the cam member 80. It will be recalled that the cam member 80 is eccentrically mounted on the shaft 81. Thus, as the cam member 80 rotates the connecting rod 116 reciprocates leftwardly and rightwardly. A rightward reciprocation, as viewed in FIG. 3, moves the pusher plate 30 rightwardly to push the plate past the restraining fingers 101 and into the receiving tray T. As the cam member 80 rotates through another and moves leftwardly, the pusher plate 30 is retracted to the position shown in FIG. 3, wherein the next plate is free to fall before the restraining fingers 101.

The tray T is disposed on the tray support 20 and re 7 ceives the plates as they are pushed rightwardly, as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4. As seen in FIG. 1, the tray support 20 includes a flat supporting surface 116 with downwardly turned flange side walls 123, to form a downwardly turned channel, which has its rearward ends 124 pivotally mounted on a shaft 125 extending between the side walls 40 and 41 on the discharge station DS. For locating the tray T on the tray support in proper position to receive the plates, the tray support 20 has a pair of spaced upstanding guide fingers 128, FIG. 1, between which the tray T is placed. The tray T is of sufficient length to extend inwardly over the horizontal plate 129, FIG. 1, and adjacent the fingers 101. The horizontal plate 129 is secured to plates 40 and 41 by bolt and nut fasteners 130 securing downwardly turned flanges of the plate 129 against the respective side plates 40 and 41. 7

It will be understood that the tray T extends inwardly over the plate 129 so as to receive on-edge plates, as they are pushed past the restraining fingers 101 by the pusher 30. The plates are held against tumbling over in a forward direction within a tray T by a suitable sliding weight 140, which is pushed rightwardly by the accumulated plates, as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4. As the plates and weight 140 are moved rightwardly, the tray becomes filled with plates, which are in sequential order, and which are disposed in an on-edge position. When the weight 140 is moved by the plates to the right end of the receiving tray T, the weight 140 depresses a sensing finger 142 extending upwardly through an aperture 143 in the bottom of the tray T. Downward movement of the sensing finger 142 operates a stop switch SW on the tray support 20 to halt further operation of the embossing machine until a new tray is provided for the plates from the finishing station III. When a tray T is full, the operator lifts the tray by a handle 145 to move the tray T upwardly past restrainer fingers 146 which extend upwardly to hold the tray T against rightward movement.

When the tray T is not being employed, the tray support 20 can be pivoted downwardly to a position shown in FIG. 1. The tray is supported by a leg 149 one end of which is adapted to be attached to the embossing machine. The other end of leg 149 is secured to the tray support 20 by a slotted member 150 pivotally mounted on a pin 151 extending between the flanges 123 of the tray support 20.

It will be recalled that the timed operation of the clutch 88 synchronizes the movement of the support table ST from a receiving position to a released position, and the operation of the pusher plate 30 at the time when a plate is present. The timed operation of these elements is controlled by the circuit for the electromagnetic clutch 88, shown in FIG. 10. A switch 160 is normally closed while the switches 102 and SSW are normally open, this being the condition of the switches when the arm 1550 is in the full line position shown in FIG. 5.

When the arm 1550 moves rightwardly as viewed in FIG. 5, the plate rolling carriage 1562 moves rightwardly to cause a plate rolling or plate tipping operation; and concomitantly a cam shaft within the embossing machine (not shown) turns cam 2PR to open the normally closed contacts 160 and, at a slightly later time, cam 1PR on this cam shaft rotates to close switch 102 to energize the clutch electromagnet 92 causing a clutching of the shaft 81 for cam member 80 to the continuously rotating input drive shaft 90. As the shaft 81 rotates, the cam follower 78 on the bell crank lever 75 follows the internal cam track in the cam member 80 and moves the linkage 70 to swing the supporting table ST up to a plate receiving position.

When the table ST rotates to a plate receiving position, its supporting rock shaft 64, FIG. 6, rotates a cam 155 disposed on the inward end thereof, FIGS. 2 and 6, to actuate switch contacts SSW to close thereby preparing an energization path for operation of the electromagnet 88 of the clutch 92 when the cam 2PR closes contacts 160. The table ST remains in the upward receiving position until the clutch 88 is again operated. The prepared energizing circuit for the electromagnet 92 remains open until the arm 1550 moves leftwardly to the full line position at which time the cam shaft rotates and the switch 160 closes. The clutch magnet 92 energizes through the now-closed contacts 160 and SSW.

Operation of the electromagnet 90 causes the driving shaft 81 to be clutched to the driving shaft 90 by the clutch 88 for rotation of the cam member through 180 of rotation, during which rotation the pusher plate 30 is brought back to the position shown in FIG. 1, and the linkage 70 is moved to pivot the support table ST in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 3, to release the plate P-2, to fall between the packer plate 30 and the restraining fingers 101. The energization circuit of the clutch magnet 92 is broken when switch contact SSW open as the cam rotates with its supporting rock shaft 64 on which is carried the supporting table ST. Thus, the clutch magnet 92 is de-energized with both the parallel energization paths open at contacts 102 and SSW, respectively.

The discharge station DS also includes a counting apparatus for determining the number of embossed plates which have been received at the discharge station DS. As best seen in FIG. 1, a pair of opposed vertical plates extend between the left side wall of the embossing machine and the side plate 41 of the discharge station DS. Secured to the upper portions of the plates 180 are bearing mounting blocks 181, which rotatably support a rock shaft 184, FIGS. 1 and 6. Secured intermediate the ends of the rock shaft 184, and between the plate guides 22 so as to be disposed over the plates P-2 entering the discharge station DS is a sensing arm carrying a sensing roller 186 adapted to contact the plates moving into the discharge station DS to determine if embossures are produced thereon.

Thus, the sensing roller 186 is so positioned over the plates that a non-embossed plate will move freely thereunder without causing a clockwise rotation of the sensing arm 185, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 5. However, if a plate is embossed, the plate will be of sufficient additional height or thickness due to the embossures, so that the sensing roller 186 will be in rolling contact with, and be caused to pivot its sensing arm 185 to rotate the rock shaft 184, to which the sensing arm 185 is secured by an attaching collar 188.

As best seen in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, one end of the rock shaft 184 has secured thereto a contact actuating arm 190, which is adapted to rotate in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 8, to bring an end of a threaded screw 191, threaded in the lower end of the arm 190, into engagement with an aligned plunger 192 of a counter switch SWC mounted on a bracket 199 secured by fasteners to the plate 41.

The arm has a collar 193 which is fixedly secured to the rock shaft 184 by a screw-type fastener 194. The shaft 184 and contact actuating arm 190 thus can be adjusted relative to one another, to insure that the proper amount of rotation is accompanied by an operation of the plunger 192 to operate the switch SWC. After sensing a plate, the rock shaft 184 and attached sensing roller 186 are returned to the sensing position by a return spring 197, FIG. 8, secured by the screw 194 and a pin 198 on the bracket 199.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that under the present invention, a plate or the like, advanced along a predetermined path or guideway from a final work station, moves onto a rotatable support as ST which changes the direction of the plate. Thus, the support, in properly timed relationship, rotates to reorient plate from a flat supported position to an end-wiseor on-edge position for downward movement into a position between the pusher plate 30 and restraining fingers 101. Then, in timedrelationship, the pusher plate reciprocates to move the plate 9 while on its on-edge position into a receiving tray therefor. The receiving tray is located adjacent the operator of the embossing machine so that the operator has access to the last plate in the discharge station without moving from her operators position and without removing the prior plates in the tray.

Moreover, the parts are so arranged that where the plates bear data in the form of embossures, each plate is counted in sequence as it arrives at the discharge station. In order to assure proper handling of the plates, and to assist in maintaining proper orientation thereof, the side plates 40 and 41 are spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the width of the plates being handled; even so, this spacing can be easily altered, as has been explained, to accommodate plates of another width, but without the need for making alterations or adjustments in the operating parts which reorient each plate and pack the plates in the receiving tray.

Hence, while a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described and illustrated, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall Within the purview of the .following claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine wherein a final processing operation is performed on individual plates at a given position, a discharge station to which said plates are advanced from certain final operation stations in sequential fashion; said discharge station including a receiving tray located adjacent the operator of the machine to alford access to the plates stacked in sequential order and on their edges from one end of the tray to the opposite end of the tray; a guideway located in a vertical plane other than the plane of said receiving tray, said guideway guiding said plates from said final operation to said discharge station while said plates are disposed on their flat sides in said guideway; a rotatable support pivotally mounted for rotation to and from a position for receiving a plate disposed on its flat side from said guideway, and a second position where the plate is transported to an edgewise orientation; means for releasably holding a plate on its edge prior to entry into said tray means; pusher means for pushing a plate disposed between the pusher means and said releasable means for moving the plate into said receiving tray while in an edgewise position; driving means including a selectively controlled clutch for rotating said rotatable support to and from its respective positions, and for driving said pusher means; and timing means for controlling in timed relation the operation of said selectively controlled clutch for rotating said support to and from its respective positions, and for driving said pusher means.

2. In a machine wherein a final processing operation is performed on individual plate-like elements at a given position, a discharge station to which said elements are advanced from certain final operation stations in sequential fashion; said discharge station including a receiving tray located adjacent the operator of the machine to afford access to the plate-like elements stacked in sequential order and on their edges from one end of the tray to the opposite end of the tray; a guideway located in a vertical plane other than the plane of said receiving tray, said guideway guiding said plate-like elements from said final operation to said discharge station while said plate-like elements are disposed on their fiat sides in said guideway; a rotatable support pivotally mounted for rotation to and from a position for receiving a plate-like element disposed on its fiat side from said guideway, and a second position where said plate-like element is transported to an edgewise orientation; means for releasably holding a plate-like element on its edge prior to entry into said tray means; pusher means for pushing a plate-like element disposed between the pusher means and said releasable means for moving the plate-like element into said receiving tray while in an edgewise position; driving means including a selectively controlled clutch for rotating said rotatable support to and from its respective positions, and for driving said pusher means; timing means for controlling in timed relation the operation of said selectively controlled clutch for rotating said support to and from its respective positions, and for driving said pusher means; and a switch means on said tray operable when said tray has received a predetermined number of said plate-like elements to cause an indication of the receipt of said predetermined number of plates.

3. In a machine wherein a final processing operation is performed on individual plate-like elements at a given position, a discharge station to which said plate-like elements are advanced from certain final operation stations in sequential fashion; said discharge station including a receiving tray located adjacent the operator of the machine to afford access to the plate-like elements stacked in sequential order and on their edges from one end of the tray to the opposite end of the tray; a guideway located in a vertical plane other than the plane of said receiving tray, said guideway guiding said plate-like elements from said final operation to said discharge station while said plate-like elements are disposed on their flat sides in said guideway; a rotatable support pivotally mounted for rotation to and from a position for receiving a plate-like element disposed on its fiat side from said guideway, and a second position where the plate-like element is transported to an edgewise orientation; means for releasably holding the plate-like element on its edge prior to entry into said tray means; pusher means for pushing a plate-like element disposed between the pusher means and said releasable means for moving the platelike element into said receiving tray while in an edgewise position; driving means including a selectively controlled clutch for rotating said support to and from its respective positions, and for driving said pushing means; timing means for controlling the operation of said selectively controlled clutch for rotating said support to and from its respective positions and for driving said pusher means; and a counter means for counting said plate-like elements moving along said guideway, said counting means including a sensing roller adapted to be pivoted by those plates which are embossed to actuate the counter to record the number of embossed plates passing through said guideway into said receiving station.

4. In a machine wherein a final processing operation is performed on individual plates at a given position, a discharge station to which said plates are advanced from certain final operation stations in sequential fashion; said discharge station including a receiving tray located adjacent the operator of the machine to afford access to the plates stacked in sequential order and on their edges from one end of the tray to the opposite end of the tray; a guideway located in a vertical plane other than the plane of said receiving tray, said guideway guiding said plates from said final operation to said discharge station while said plates are disposed on their flat sides in said guideway; a rotatable support pivotally mounted for rotation to and from a position for receiving a plate disposed on its fiat side from said guideway, and a second position where the plate is transported to an edgewise orientation; means for releasably holding a plate on its edge prior to entry into said tray means; pusher means engageable with a plate disposed between the pusher means and said releasable means for pushing the plate into said receiving tray while in an edge-wise position; interruptible driving means for rotating said rotatable support to and from its respective positions, and for driving said pusher means; and timing means, coupled to said driving means, for controlling in timed relation the operation of said rotatable support and said pusher means.

(References on following page) 1 1 12 References Cited by the Examiner 2,723,392 1241955 Wells 2,90 93 8 959 French -7 UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,182,821 5/1965 Parker 214 7 ili gfig gg 2' 5 GERALD M. FORLENZA Primary Examiner. 9/1944 Monaco 214 7 MORRIS T'EMIN, Examiner- 6/1953 Charles 19827 M. WOLSON, Assistant Examiner. 

4. IN A MACHINE WHEREIN A FINAL PROCESSING OPERATION IS PERFORMED ON INDIVIDUAL PLATES AT A GIVEN POSITION, A DISCHARGE STATION TO WHICH SAID PLATES ARE ADVANCED FROM CERTAIN FINAL OPERATION STATIONS IN SEQUENTIAL FASHION; SAID DISCHARGE STATION INCLUDING A RECEIVING TRAY LOCATED ADJACENT THE OPERATOR OF THE MACHINE TO AFFORD ACCESS TO THE PLATES STACKED IN SEQUENTIAL ORDER AND ON THEIR EDGES FROM ONE END OF THE TRAY TO THE OPPOSITE END OF THE TRAY; A GUIDEWAY LOCATED IN A VERTICAL PLANE OTHER THAN THE PLANE OF SAID RECEIVING TRAY, SAID GUIDEWAY GUIDING SAID PLATES FROM SAID FINAL OPERATION TO SAID DISCHARGE STATION WHILE SAID PLATES ARE DISPOSED ON THEIR FLAT SIDES IN SAID GUIDEWAY; A ROTATABLE SUPPORT PIVOTALLY MOUNTED FOR ROTATION TO AND FROM A POSITION FOR RECEIVING A PLATE DISPOSED ON ITS FLAT SIDE FROM SAID GUIDEWAY, AND A SECOND POSITION WHERE PLATE IS TRANSPORTED TO AN EDGEWISE ORIENTATION; MEANS FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING A PLATE ON ITS EDGE PRIOR TO ENTRY INTO SAID TRAY MEANS; PUSHER MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH A PLATE DISPOSED BETWEEN THE PUSHER MEANS AND SAID RELEASABLE MEANS FOR PUSHING THE PLATE INTO SAID RECEIVING TRAY WHILE IN AN EDGEWISE POSITION; INTERRUPTIBLE DRIVING MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID ROTATABLE SUPPORT TO AND FROM ITS RESPECTIVE POSITIONS, AND FOR DRIVING SAID PUSHER MEANS; AND TIMING MEANS, COUPLED TO SAID DRIVING MEANS, FOR CONTROLLING IN TIMED RELATION THE OPERATION OF SAID ROTATABLE SUPPORT AND SAID PUSHER MEANS. 